By: Saidu Jalloh
Over half of Sierra Leone’s government expenditure is executed through procurement, positioning it as one of the most vital sectors for public service delivery. This assertion was made by Foday Konneh, Chief Executive Officer of the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA), during a high-level stakeholders’ validation workshop on the Methodology for Assessing Procurement Systems (MAPS), held on Thursday, 19th June 2025, at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown.
Speaking under the theme “Validating Our Progress: Strengthening Public Procurement for Sustainable Development,” Konneh emphasized that the MAPS assessment was a strategic initiative not a procedural formality. He described procurement as the “engine room” of public service delivery and stressed the importance of systems governed by laws and institutions that promote value for money, integrity, and public trust.
Konneh explained that MAPS is a globally recognized framework, considered the gold standard for assessing procurement systems. It uses a robust, evidence-based methodology that examines legal, institutional, operational, and oversight dimensions. With technical support from the World Bank and in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, NPPA led a comprehensive national diagnostic to align Sierra Leone’s procurement framework with international best practices.
He emphasized that the assessment was transparent, inclusive, and nationally driven. Over several months, the MAPS team conducted broad stakeholder consultations, reviewed legal frameworks and procurement records, and held interviews across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), Local Councils, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), oversight institutions, and civil society actors.
“We are grateful to every institution and individual who participated, shared insights, and challenged assumptions,” Konneh said. “Your contributions have enhanced the credibility and quality of this report. I especially acknowledge the steadfast support of our development partners, particularly the World Bank and African Development Bank.”
On the findings, Konneh described the results as both sobering and hopeful. Sierra Leone has made tangible progress, including the establishment of a solid legal framework through the Public Procurement Act of 2016 and the accompanying Public Procurement Regulations of 2020. There is also a growing cadre of trained procurement professionals, and NPPA has developed operational tools such as manuals, circulars, and standardized bidding documents.
However, he also highlighted several critical challenges. These include: Inconsistencies between the Procurement Act and the Finance Act (especially regarding thresholds and advertising rules), weak contract management.
Limited oversight, poor rural access to procurement information Underutilization of citizen engagement and civil society oversight and inadequate mechanisms for emergency procurement, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and sector-specific processes in health, ICT, and infrastructure and the lack of a fully digitized procurement system, identified as a major gap
Representing the Minister of Finance, Samuel A.B. Momoh described the workshop as a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s public financial management reforms. He explained that the MAPS framework developed by the OECD and endorsed by both the World Bank and African Development Bank—is intended to evaluate national procurement performance and align it with global standards.
Momoh noted that the MAPS assessment, initiated in 2023, involved rigorous desk reviews, extensive field consultations, and detailed interviews with key stakeholders in the procurement ecosystem including MDAs, local authorities, civil society, private sector players, and oversight institutions. He affirmed that NPPA, in collaboration with international experts, assessed the system across four key pillars:
Legal and policy framework
Institutional capacity
Procurement operations and market practices
Accountability, integrity, and transparency
In a related development, World Bank Country Manager Dr. Abdu Muwonge reaffirmed the Bank’s commitment to supporting Sierra Leone’s procurement reforms, especially for Bank-financed projects. He highlighted that the World Bank provides procurement guidelines including the “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” which require countries to uphold anti-corruption measures and adopt a Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD) for each financed project.
While national procurement systems are sometimes used, Muwonge emphasized that they must comply with the Bank’s procurement standards. He added that the World Bank actively monitors procurement processes to ensure they are transparent, competitive, and accountable.
In closing, Dr. Muwonge urged stakeholders to approach the MAPS validation process with seriousness and commitment. He emphasized that when managed transparently and efficiently, procurement has the power to significantly transform a country’s development path.